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The EDGE: ASU football opens its 2015 season against Texas A&M

Who has the edge in this high-profile tilt to open the season?

Graham Camp T
Head Coach Todd Graham shares a laugh with the coaching staff during practice at Camp Tontozona Thursday August 13, 2015. (Jacob Stanek/The State Press)

Video by Fabian Ardaya | Sports Reporter

Quarterbacks

Edge: ASU

Fun fact: Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Kyle Allen actually has more career college starts (five) than ASU redshirt senior Mike Bercovici (three). That said, experience is still the key factor for why Bercovici gives ASU the edge. 

Allen finished last season with 1,322 passing yards and 16 touchdowns with seven interceptions, leading the Aggies to a 3-2 record as a starter.

Bercovici also went just one game above .500 as a starter last season (2-1), but set an NCAA record with 998 passing yards in his first two career starts against UCLA and USC. He's proved that he can be clutch, throwing the "Jael Mary" to seal a victory against USC and a week later proved he could be a game manager in a dominating win over Stanford. 

Allen has the skills that made him a five-star prospect out of Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, but will likely still slip into some of the mistakes that plague young quarterbacks. Bercovici and his strong arm could very well carve Texas A&M's secondary to pieces.

Running backs

Edge: ASU

This is the easiest position matchup for ASU to win, hands down. That's not any dig towards Aggies senior running back Tra Carson (581 yards and five touchdowns on 124 carries last season), but more a testament to just how much depth the Sun Devils have at the position.

Their biggest back, freshman Jason Lewis, already stands at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds and likely will not see the field Saturday night.

Plenty of eyes will be on ASU's pair of budding stars in sophomores Demario Richard (478 yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries last season) and Kalen Ballage (126 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries), and for good reason. The two showed just how impactful they could be during last season's Sun Bowl, when Richard scored four total touchdowns and Ballage set up the eventual game-winning touchdown with a 96-yard kickoff return.

If Ballage or Richard need a rest, ASU has capable backs in sophomore Jacom Brimhall, redshirt junior "Gump" Hayes and freshman Nick Ralston who each bring unique skill sets to the position. Brimhall stands just 5-foot-8, but is elusive and able to pick up holes well. Hayes brings game-changing speed to the position, and Ralston excels at picking up tough yards in goal-line situations.

Wide receivers

Edge: Texas A&M

The Sun Devils certainly have more than their fair share of receivers who are able to contribute (D.J Foster, Devin Lucien, Tim White, Ellis Jefferson, Gary Chambers, Fred Gammage, Kody Kohl and even "Gump" Hayes), but none have shown that they can be standouts just yet.

The Aggies, on the other hand, boast one of the best young receiving corps in the country. Yeah, it's pretty tough to compete when you have a bunch of five-star prospects on the other side.

One of those five-star prospects is Valley product Christian Kirk, who is currently slated to start his first game with the SEC program after a record-shattering high school career at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale.

A&M also returns three of its four top receivers from last season in junior Josh Reynolds (52 catches, 842 yards and 13 touchdowns last season), sophomore Speedy Noil (46 catches, 583 yards and five touchdowns) and sophomore Ricky Seals-Jones (49 catches, 465 yards and four touchdowns). 

Offensive line

Edge: Push

ASU has three seniors that make up their interior offensive line in left guard Christian Westerman, center Nick Kelly and Vi Teofilo. However, for all their strength inside there are just as many questions on the outside. The Sun Devils lost Jamil Douglas and Tyler Sulka to the NFL Draft and graduation, and now redshirt junior Evan Goodman and redshirt senior Billy McGehee step in for their first career starts.

Texas A&M has experience on its offensive line in seniors Mike Matthews and Joseph Cheek, and their tackles (juniors Avery Gennesy and Germain Ifedi) are both high-caliber NFL prospects. The Aggie's quick air-raid attack forces the line to be athletic and not have to hold too long onto their blocks, so as long as they move as quickly as the offense they should be in good shape.

Defensive line

Edge: Texas A&M

Myles Garrett, best defensive end in college football? ASU football coach Todd Graham thinks so, at least on film. 

He now-sophomore set the SEC freshman record for sacks in a season with 11.5 last season along with 53 total tackles (14 for loss). Garrett is primed for multiple sacks against ASU, as Garrett will likely matchup against either Goodman or McGehee in their first-ever start. The Aggies have experience rounding out the rest of the line (they're expected to have four down linemen) in seniors Alonzo Williams and Julian Obioha and junior Daeshon Hall.

ASU has plenty of depth on the defensive line, just without too much outstanding talent. Tashon Smallwood, Demetrius Cherry, Ami Latu and Edmond Boateng should all rotate into the three-man front with a potential star in pass-rushing true freshman JoJo Wicker. Wicker, who is traditionally a 3-technique, is expected to occupy the 5-technique spot that was reserved for Marcus Hardison in 2014.

Linebackers

Edge: ASU

Depth. Lots of it. ASU has all the depth.

No, seriously. 

The Sun Devils can go two-deep in each position of Graham's hybrid scheme, especially with the emergence of sophomore Christian Sam during fall camp. Here's how ASU is expected to start on Saturday: 

"Sam" linebacker: Salamo Fiso/Christian Sam

"Spur" linebacker: Laiu Moeakiola/Marcus Ball

"Devilbacker:" Antonio Longino/A.J. Latu

"Will" linebacker: DJ Calhoun/Christian Sam/Antonio Longino

The most important factor on ASU's defense, let alone its linebacker corp, is the health of Moeakiola. The Sun Devils went undefeated in the games he started and finished, but lost every game he missed or left early due to injury.

A&M's linebacking corps was one of its weak links last season, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the same in 2015.

Defensive backs

Edge: ASU

ASU returns three of its four starting defensive backs from last season, losing a first-round selection in Green Bay Packers pick Damarious Randall. Replacing Randall is sophomore Armand Perry, who is moving over from cornerback this season and could be the best cover safety that Todd Graham has had.

Jordan Simone could very well lead ASU in tackles this season, and the returning corner duo of Lloyd Carrington and Kweishi Brown could be the best in the Pac-12.

A&M's defensive backs got shredded by SEC offenses last season, and while improvement is expected it shouldn't have that great of a day against Bercovici and the Sun Devils.

Special teams

Edge: ASU

ASU? Special teams? Really?

Absolutely.

The Sun Devils return two of the top specialists in the conference in junior punter Matt Haack and junior kicker Zane Gonzalez, and the addition of former Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum to the same position should help what was a lackluster coverage team last season.

Also, the additions of "Gump" Hayes and Tim White to mix could give the return game a level of life it has not had in years.

Overall

Edge: ASU


Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.

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